As businesses, we need to hire new team members and it could be for a multitude of reasons. There are many issues that arise along the way but if you get the basics right, partner with the right recruiter and give us the time of day you can achieve anything!
Many companies see recruitment as a chore, an issue, a mission and a costly exercise but completely underestimate the damage bad hires could make or how incredible a game changing hire could be short and long-term.
Here are a few of my thoughts on why you should use a market specialist recruitment business, working and engaging with them correctly most importantly - there’s costs involved for sure but saving yourself time, your teams time and getting that right person is surely worth it.
Select the Recruitment Company for Your Needs:
There are more and more recruitment businesses out there every day, each one offering something different. Some will be market specialists and others cover anything and everything but it’s vital to be selective with who you work with, look at reputations, get referrals and when engaging with them, I encourage you to meet them/us.
A lot of these companies will say they are best of the best, tell you they have candidates ready to go immediately but the truth is, many will over promise and under deliver so it’s important to understand their track record including who they work with, success rates and so on.
I’ve always advised using specialists, companies that have ex-industry professionals employed directly in the recruitment seat. 90% of the time, smaller, boutique recruiters will be specialists within your professional sector and will understand your requirements a lot better, they will have a wider reach within your specific market and should be able to source the best talent, but they may cost you a little more for the pleasure.
Larger operations may be cheaper but tend to be generalists who recruit every role within your company and this can dilute the expertise of the recruiter.
Once chosen, work with the recruitment business the right way, engage with them:
Once you have decided on our recruitment partner, make sure you engage with them no matter if it’s an exclusive agreement or you instruct several agencies.
Giving the recruiter a good, solid brief is essential so take your take time and as I suggested above, meet them at your offices and ensure you are detailed, cover the skills needed, experience required and what the right cultural fit is. Rushing this part and cutting corners will cause many issues down the line. Good candidates want information, they want to know the facts and why they should work for company X over company Z. Ultimately, without engaging with your recruiter, you are making their lives a whole lot harder.
You will get so much from meeting the recruiter and there’s no better place than your offices where they will get a feel for the business, the culture and operation.
Don’t open the role up to every recruiter who calls you:
This is generally one of the worst things you could do, if this happens it can often create more harm than good, your phone will ring constantly, your inbox will be bombarded and often it’s these businesses that are put off the idea of recruitment altogether.
My advice is to use 2 or 3 recruiters as a maximum but if you are confident following your meeting, understand how the recruiter works, understand their track record and capabilities then set the expectations correctly agreeing to an exclusive agreement and it will amaze you because the level of knowledge and input you will get will be second to none!
Agree Terms Up Front:
Make sure you get the terms, sign them and read them because you are entering a formal agreement and you need to know these facts. I am amazed at how many businesses sign terms these days without fully understanding them and plead ignorance when the invoice arrives. It can create many complications so make sure you understand the percentage fee being charged, what the rebate structure is, what your payment terms are and implications thereof.
If you want to negotiate the terms, do it straight away but be good and fair. Because one company is cheaper than others, it doesn’t mean every set of terms needs to be the same, and if you negotiate, make sure the recruiter is completely committed afterwards. Pushing fees down could disengage a top recruiter from the outset.
Make a hiring plan, action it and stick to it!
Sounds simple right? So many companies get this wrong though.
Once you have everything agreed, stick to the plan and its straight forward.
Don’t change the job spec unless it really must be done, don’t promise the recruiter your attention then disappear for days and park the bus on the hiring front. Make sure you are giving your consultant proper feedback on the process, on candidates met and on decisions; some companies vanish after interviews and don’t understand how damaging it is to a brand if the candidate hears nothing. Communication is key good or bad!
Something that is essential here is that a top recruiter will always represent your business in a positive way, they will sell the opportunity, market the business and brand across the market and get buy in from a candidate well before they join the business.
Know exactly what needs to be done when making the hire:
As recruiters, we will always do what we can to make sure the candidate is right and that they will be a good fit. We have no interest in placing someone that won’t work out and many people just don’t get this!
Unfortunately, not every candidate works out, candidates do mislead us at times, embellish the truth and figures but it is your responsibility as the hiring company to make the hire, do reference checks and handle the on-boarding process.
Do not blame the recruiter if you have not on-boarded your new team member effectively as it’s not something we can control.
Pay us on time!
Sounds obvious but do you understand the ramifications for not paying on time?
These may include:
- The rebate may become null and void
- Any discount you agreed up front may be removed, reverting to full fees
- You may be charged additional interest on the full fee
In summary, Recruitment isn’t bad, we aren’t bad, we are humans trying to make a difference on the talent attraction battlefield, it’s as great as you want it to be, it’s a vital part of any companies growth and if you get above points right you can win quickly, have a seamless process and win the talent war.
The cost of a bad hire is immeasurable, it could have a negative impact in more ways the one, hurting your team and the business and it’s not good. Getting it right though, hiring a strong candidate, the right person and the best in the market who will add value to your business will raise performance, show the ambitions of the company and this is a very good thing.
Partnering with the right recruiter will do exactly this for you! If you are recruiting within the property market and you don’t know us already, consider GKR London Property Recruitment.
Written by Grant Kaveney, Founding Director at GKR London Property Recruitment.
